[pietcux]

Just listened to these a few hours ago in Hong Kong in a mall display. The mall was very noisy, but the headphone isolated very well!v

I used my own Sony ZX1 into the Sony DAC/AMP with the display MDR-Z1R in balanced mode. I made sure to turn off DSEE

Could ou test it straight out of your ZX1?
Are you sure that on the amp all DSP and sound settings where off?

 

[thanatosguan]

Could ou test it straight out of your ZX1?
Are you sure that on the amp all DSP and sound settings where off?

His impressions are more less in line with mine. However the bass is always going to sound very omni-directional and it will fill up the soundstage when it's there. This works extremely well with classical because the cello/bass/timpani work as a solid base for other sections to play with: when there's klangfarbenmelodie the melody transfer from section to section while the bass sections provide a basis to the sound. The clear separation between instruments also add to this aspect: you get that buzzing of strings in extreme pianissimo in the buildup very clearly.
 
Sounds like what a grand tier middle section seat would give you.
 
This really is a great can for classical. The second chapter of Bruckner 9* is awe-inspiring. And I did try out a Beethoven's Violin Concerto for you. by Itzhak Perlman and Giulini. It's pretty good to. If you play something that has a duet between bass line and treble line, the Z1R is going to deliver in spades.
 
Classical is Z1R's forte.
 
* When listening to Bruckner please don't just jump to the crazy brass crescendo movement... just an advice. his symphonies are long but worth the wait.

 

[beowulf]

Classical is Z1R's forte.

I listened to Lakmé today on EMI/Natalie Dessay and it was sublime. I have a thing for this recording with Dessay and know it quite well, the Z1R is a great tool for it.

I'm also rediscovering Jazz in general, kinda haven't enjoyed it in years but now that cellos are sounding pretty good again, it's time to discover more.

 

[TokenGesture]

Anyone doubting that Leonard Cohen is the voice of God have a listen with the Z1R

 

[Whitigir]

Anyone doubting that Leonard Cohen is the voice of God have a listen with the Z1R

So, you love the Z1R a lot? That is good

 

[beowulf]

Anyone doubting that Leonard Cohen is the voice of God have a listen with the Z1R

Can confirm. "Slow" and pretty much the entire Popular Problems album is pretty sweet on the Z1R. Great use of bass, Leonard's voice and background female vocals, all working out great.

 

[Xymordos]

Could ou test it straight out of your ZX1?
Are you sure that on the amp all DSP and sound settings where off?

 
I was there on the last day of the display unfortunately...I'll have to wait until release and find one at Sony store to test it out.
 
It does seem like classical music would work best with the Z1R though.

 

[Whitigir]

I was there on the last day of the display unfortunately...I'll have to wait until release and find one at Sony store to test it out.

It does seem like classical music would work best with the Z1R though.

That would be amazing. How realistic and lively are the timbres ?

 

[Kamil21]

While this is more of the dac review, the headphone review is part of it: again use Google translate.

http://www.gm2000magazine.com/th/review-detail.php?did=395


This is the translated section on the Z1R

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&langpair=auto%7Cen&nv=1&rurl=translate.google.com&u=http://www.gm2000magazine.com/th/review-detail.php%3Fdid%3D395&usg=ALkJrhjC-HkWniebsIOHR0KOZgCKICVzQQ

Exerpt translated by Google on Z1R

" I very Happy The sound of the MDR-Z1R driving with ZH1ES would raise the score to 10 ZH1ES to propel MDR-Z1R is a pair that go together very well.".....

"The ability to " dig ", " discrimination " and " presentation " of the sound is a hallmark of ZH1ES this. Due to its wide dynamic range of the sound is right. Make a detailed level Low Level the musical language called pianissimo not conifers. Dug up the presentation in its entirety. And made a sonorous twang of instruments have been maintained with them. As a result, the overall sound is very relaxing. And the sound is loud ( FORTISSIMO ) was presented to the press without symptoms or hold out. This amp sounds liberating dynamic swing out without compress to hear "

 

[Whitigir]

While this is more of the dac review, the headphone review is part of it: again use Google translate.

http://www.gm2000magazine.com/th/review-detail.php?did=395


This is the translated section on the Z1R

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&langpair=auto%7Cen&nv=1&rurl=translate.google.com&u=http://www.gm2000magazine.com/th/review-detail.php%3Fdid%3D395&usg=ALkJrhjC-HkWniebsIOHR0KOZgCKICVzQQ

Exerpt translated by Google on Z1R

" I very Happy The sound of the MDR-Z1R driving with ZH1ES would raise the score to 10 ZH1ES to propel MDR-Z1R is a pair that go together very well.".....

"The ability to " dig ", " discrimination " and " presentation " of the sound is a hallmark of ZH1ES this. Due to its wide dynamic range of the sound is right. Make a detailed level Low Level the musical language called pianissimo not conifers. Dug up the presentation in its entirety. And made a sonorous twang of instruments have been maintained with them. As a result, the overall sound is very relaxing. And the sound is loud ( FORTISSIMO ) was presented to the press without symptoms or hold out. This amp sounds liberating dynamic swing out without compress to hear "

No doubt, the Z1R and ES were tuned for one another . The ability to dive down to sub harmonic is nice, but does it drone ? That would be the reason to get fatigue.

 

[thanatosguan]

" I very Happy The sound of the MDR-Z1R driving with ZH1ES would raise the score to 10 ZH1ES to propel MDR-Z1R is a pair that go together very well.".....

"The ability to " dig ", " discrimination " and " presentation " of the sound is a hallmark of ZH1ES this. Due to its wide dynamic range of the sound is right. Make a detailed level Low Level the musical language called pianissimo not conifers. Dug up the presentation in its entirety. And made a sonorous twang of instruments have been maintained with them. As a result, the overall sound is very relaxing. And the sound is loud ( FORTISSIMO ) was presented to the press without symptoms or hold out. This amp sounds liberating dynamic swing out without compress to hear "

 
I'd really want to know why Sony wants to upconvert everything into DSD. I know PCM to DSD conversion is problematic due to quantization errors.
 
Maybe there's something about how DSD modulation is similar to how S-Master directly amplified digital signal and it's easier for Sony to amplify DSD digital signal than PCM digital signal?

 

[echineko]

No doubt, the Z1R and ES were tuned for one another

. The ability to dive down to sub harmonic is nice, but does it drone ? That would be the reason to get fatigue.

The TA-ZH1ES is very revealing, even with my HD 800S I tested it with. I was hearing recording artifacts for some of my music that I wouldn't have normally picked up (for reference, my normal chain is Sony ZX2 -> Chord Hugo -> headphones, during the audition it was Sony WM1Z -> TA-ZH1ES -> Z1R/HD800S). I feel it does well with other headphones as well.
 
I'm planning a longer audition of the Z1R soon, to more properly compare it to my current flagships. I am quietly expecting to be quite impressed 

 

[Whitigir]

The TA-ZH1ES is very revealing, even with my HD 800S I tested it with. I was hearing recording artifacts for some of my music that I wouldn't have normally picked up (for reference, my normal chain is Sony ZX2 -> Chord Hugo -> headphones, during the audition it was Sony WM1Z -> TA-ZH1ES -> Z1R/HD800S). I feel it does well with other headphones as well.

I'm planning a longer audition of the Z1R soon, to more properly compare it to my current flagships. I am quietly expecting to be quite impressed 

That sounds good , but Hugo is in portable tier where as ES is a desktop tier. Do they use any upgraded cables in the setup ? They would also contribute toward the better performances as well

 

[beowulf]

  The TA-ZH1ES is very revealing, even with my HD 800S I tested it with. I was hearing recording artifacts for some of my music that I wouldn't have normally picked up (for reference, my normal chain is Sony ZX2 -> Chord Hugo -> headphones, during the audition it was Sony WM1Z -> TA-ZH1ES -> Z1R/HD800S). I feel it does well with other headphones as well.
 
I'm planning a longer audition of the Z1R soon, to more properly compare it to my current flagships. I am quietly expecting to be quite impressed 

 
Interesting. I'm thinking about selling the HD 800 S, maybe I should instead get the TA-ZH1ES and pair it with both. 

 

[echineko]

That sounds good , but Hugo is in portable tier where as ES is a desktop tier. Do they use any upgraded cables in the setup ? They would also contribute toward the better performances as well

Yeah, I use my non-Stax headphones mostly when I travel, so didn't need a full desktop amp. And you mean the Sony setup? They were using the Kimber cables with balanced 4.4mm for the Z1R
 

 
Interesting. I'm thinking about selling the HD 800 S, maybe I should instead get the TA-ZH1ES and pair it with both. 
 

Yes, as mentioned above, I have no desktop amp for my non-Stax headphones, so I was very curious about the TA-ZH1ES. I think it's an excellent contender for a relatively moderately priced amp, unless you want to spend $3-4k for all out TOTL amp or some such.